Posted by Rick Denney on December 15, 2003 at 19:18:22:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: to choirmasters... posted by Tom Mason on December 15, 2003 at 18:19:44:
I bought one of those tuxes once for gigs, but I found that despite its designed-for-renting adjustibility, it was not very durable. Those adjustible sliders on the sides of the waistband kept slipping, and then I found out why they were selling it. It didn't help that I bought it over the Internet, and found it to be designed for fashionable types with skinny backsides, despite that it was in my size. Those two factors both contributed to some embarassing moments.
I also once owned one of those ultra-discounter local manufacturing places (Barry Manufacturing in this case) $99 tuxedos, and hated it profoundly. It had the cooling characteristics of a sheet of black Saran wrap with a weaving pattern molded into it, and I was using it in South Texas. It did, however, look like a tuxedo from the distance of the audience.
So, my latest musician tux came from Syms, and it is actually a tuxedo intended for people who wear a dinner jacket to social gatherings. In other words, it was designed to look good on rich people (or people who want to look rich), not just to conform to costuming requirements. I found it's more comfortable, too, and it stays where I put it (Tom--I know you know what I mean by that, heh, heh).
It cost about fifty bucks more than your hundred, and I'd pay that extra fifty again in a heartbeat.
Syms is a good source for the black suit, too. There's no Syms within reasonable striking distance of home, and I've bought all these on business trips that happened to take me near one.
By the way, don't skimp on the cummerbund. A bad one is straight from Hell for those of us trying to keep that rubber band centered on the egg.
Rick "who is glad he doesn't play gigs requiring tails" Denney